Felicia Hemans’s “Imelda”bears a lot of resemblance to Corinne, or Italy. Its events take place in Italy. It also alludes to Romeo and Juliet, a work that is referenced frequently in Corinne, Or Italy. The poem is about “A fair girl met/One whom she lov’d. by this lone temple’s spring,” (36). The notes at the end of the book tell us that the story of Imelda is based on Sismondi’s Histoire des republiques italiennes, as mentioned in a note by Hemans herself. “The tragedy of Imelda, which bears a strong resemblance to the story of Romeo and Juliet, took place, according to Sismondi, in Bologna, Italy, sometime around 1273” (172). The families of the lovers, Imelda and Boniface, were rivals and hated each other violently. Nonetheless, the young loves ignored their families’ enmity. The tragedy that is at the center of Hemans’s poem is when Boniface sneaked to Imelda’s room and her brothers chased and killed him by poisoning him. Imelda later on goes to the dead body and attempts to rescues him by sucking the poison out of his body. Her servants later on found her body leaning on her lover’s.
The content of Hemans’s poems is very strong as it combines two strong and opposing emotions together. The poem talks about love and hatred, the love of the young lovers and the hatred between their families. It also talks about hope and death, the loves hoped for a better future for their families and to live with each other, but they ended up dying as result of their love. The poem ends with a very sad stating that “love with true heart had striven—but Death had won” (39). In terms of performance, the way that Hemans describes how Imelda and Boniface speak to each other declaring their love as if they were exchanging vows shows Hemans’s use of performance. She says, “They stood, that hour,/ speaking of hope, while tree, and fount, and flower,/ And star, just gleaming thro’ the cypress boughs,/Seem’d holy things, as records of their vows.” (36). Moreover, the way that Hemans talks about the changing circumstances that affect the lovers’ relationship resembles taking about a play. Hemans describes each new chapter in the lovers’ story as if it were a new scene in a play. For example, when Imelda’s brothers know the couple’s love affair, a new scene is presented. Hemans says, “But change came o’er the scene./ A hurrying tread/ Broke on the whispery shades./ Imelda knew the footstep of her brother’s wrath, and fled/ Up where the cedars make yon avenue” (36). Furthermore, Hemans describes how Imelda longs for a “scene” where things were different, “She sought the scene/ Where love so late with youth and hope had been;” (37). In addition, the way that Hemans compares the mythological creature, the Naiad’s sound, to a melody, music and songs is a constant reminder about the presence of performance throughout this poem. She says, “when first the Naiad’s rill/ Met her with melody—sweet sounds and low; We hear them yet, they live along its flow--/ Her voice is music lost!” (37).
I have to end my response by noting that the poem is definitely changed by the way we read or perform it. Each stanza seems to be a new scene is a play and each speech is so powerful and overwhelming by the amounts of emotions it carries.
Performance
June 12, 14
Felicia Hemans’s “Imelda”bears a lot of resemblance to Corinne, or Italy. Its events take place in Italy. It also alludes to Romeo and Juliet, a work that is referenced frequently in Corinne, Or Italy. The poem is about “A fair girl met/One whom she lov’d. by this lone temple’s spring,” (36). The notes at the end of the book tell us that the story of Imelda is based on Sismondi’s Histoire des republiques italiennes, as mentioned in a note by Hemans herself. “The tragedy of Imelda, which bears a strong resemblance to the story of Romeo and Juliet, took place, according to Sismondi, in Bologna, Italy, sometime around 1273” (172). The families of the lovers, Imelda and Boniface, were rivals and hated each other violently. Nonetheless, the young loves ignored their families’ enmity. The tragedy that is at the center of Hemans’s poem is when Boniface sneaked to Imelda’s room and her brothers chased and killed him by poisoning him. Imelda later on goes to the dead body and attempts to rescues him by sucking the poison out of his body. Her servants later on found her body leaning on her lover’s.
The content of Hemans’s poems is very strong as it combines two strong and opposing emotions together. The poem talks about love and hatred, the love of the young lovers and the hatred between their families. It also talks about hope and death, the loves hoped for a better future for their families and to live with each other, but they ended up dying as result of their love. The poem ends with a very sad stating that “love with true heart had striven—but Death had won” (39).
In terms of performance, the way that Hemans describes how Imelda and Boniface speak to each other declaring their love as if they were exchanging vows shows Hemans’s use of performance. She says, “They stood, that hour,/ speaking of hope, while tree, and fount, and flower,/ And star, just gleaming thro’ the cypress boughs,/Seem’d holy things, as records of their vows.” (36). Moreover, the way that Hemans talks about the changing circumstances that affect the lovers’ relationship resembles taking about a play. Hemans describes each new chapter in the lovers’ story as if it were a new scene in a play. For example, when Imelda’s brothers know the couple’s love affair, a new scene is presented. Hemans says, “But change came o’er the scene./ A hurrying tread/ Broke on the whispery shades./ Imelda knew the footstep of her brother’s wrath, and fled/ Up where the cedars make yon avenue” (36). Furthermore, Hemans describes how Imelda longs for a “scene” where things were different, “She sought the scene/ Where love so late with youth and hope had been;” (37). In addition, the way that Hemans compares the mythological creature, the Naiad’s sound, to a melody, music and songs is a constant reminder about the presence of performance throughout this poem. She says, “when first the Naiad’s rill/ Met her with melody—sweet sounds and low; We hear them yet, they live along its flow--/ Her voice is music lost!” (37).
I have to end my response by noting that the poem is definitely changed by the way we read or perform it. Each stanza seems to be a new scene is a play and each speech is so powerful and overwhelming by the amounts of emotions it carries.